[1][2][3][4] It involves a pervasive pattern of intentionally making false statements with the aim to deceive others, sometimes for no clear or apparent reason, and even if the truth would be beneficial to the liar.
[5][6][7][8][9] In psychology and psychiatry, there is an ongoing debate about whether pathological lying should be classified as a distinct disorder or viewed as a symptom of other underlying conditions.
[3][4] The lack of a widely agreed-upon description or diagnostic criteria for pathological lying has contributed to the controversy surrounding its definition.
[10] Various theories have been proposed to explain the causes of pathological lying, including stress, an attempt to shift locus of control to an internal one, and issues related to low self-esteem.
[1][3][9] Curtis and Hart (2020) defined pathological lying as "a persistent, pervasive, and often compulsive pattern of excessive lying behavior that leads to clinically significant impairment of functioning in social, occupational, or other areas; causes marked distress; poses a risk to the self or others; and occurs for longer than 6 months" (p. 63).
[16] Lie detector tests have shown that pathological liars exhibit arousal, stress, and guilt from their deception.
[14] The only diagnosis in the current system where a symptom of purposeless, internally motivated deception occurs is factitious disorder.
Pathological lying is an item of the interpersonal facet of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), alongside superficial charm, grandiosity, and manipulativeness.
The PCL-R distinguishes pathological lying from manipulation, which it treats separately as the strategic use of deceit and misdirection for personal gain, often by exploiting or using someone.
They are often white lies that spare another's feelings, reflect a pro-social attitude, and make civilized human contact possible.
[33] Thirty percent of subjects had a chaotic home environment, where a parent or other family member had a mental disturbance.